A great follow-up to Claudio Roditi's Braziliance record – and like that set, a record that's filled with a similarly warm and breezy groove! There's a range of bossa and post-bossa elements at work in the mix, plus some slight Latin jazz touches too – and Roditi's horn sounds wonderful in the setting, really stretching out with these well-blown lines over work from a group that includes Romero Lubambo on guitar, Michael Dease on trombone, Helio Alves on piano, John Lee on bass, and Duduka Da Fonseca on drums. All songs are originals by Roditi – and titles include "Slow Fire", "Piccolo Blues", "A Dream For Kristen", "Blues For Ronni", "Vida Nova", "Winter Dreams", and "Spring Samba". (Jazz, Brazil) CD

A great little session from Luiz Bonfa – one that features a hip core combo mixed with slightly larger backings – all in a groove that really stands out from other mainstream bossa albums of the 60s! Bonfa's acoustic guitar is set up here with Jerome Richardson on flute, Don Payne on bass, and Helcio Milito on drums – all working in a sound that's lightly touched with occasional bits of strings or woodwinds from Hal Mooney – never too much to over-sweeten the music, and often in ways that underscore the bluer, sadder tones in the music. Bonfa contributed to me great original tunes to the record that really stand out – numbers that include "Avocado", "Moonlight In Rio", "Embolada", "Her Face", "Dream Girl", "Sambalero", and "Zomba" – all of which make the record stand out from other familiar bossa tunes of the time. LP, Vinyl record album

(Vocalists, Brazil) CD

A light and dreamy set of Brazilian vocal tracks – recorded in 1967, and featuring the voice of singer Lenita Bruno, a strong 60s talent with a style that's somewhat like Sylvia Telles. Arrangements on the set are by Clare Fischer – who plays piano, organ, and electric harpsichord in a small combo that also includes guitar by Laurindo Almeida, flute by Bud Shank, and percussion by Paulinho. Some tracks augment the ensemble with a string quartet – who give the material an appropriately sad tone, perfect for Lenita's blue-styled vocals. Includes a nicely grooving version of "Chove Chuva", plus the tracks "Wave", "Winter Moon", "Sing Sing More", "Dindi", "Stay My Love", and "Someone To Light Up My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest Verve albums of all time – a rare American session from Brazilian legend Marcos Valle – and his only US album to feature vocals! The album's even dreamier than Valle's early bossa sides from Brazil – and the setting has some nice Verve-like touches from Deodato – who handled the arrangements, and brings a nicely airy, nicely jazzy style to the record. Most tunes are sung as duets with his lovely wife Anamaria – made famous by the album's landmark groover "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" – an English-language version of Valle's earlier "Os Grilos". Other titles are all great too – and sport English lyrics that hardly ever got much exposure. In addition to the great "Crickets Sing For Anamaria", other titles include "The Face I Love", "She Told Me She Told Me", "Pepino Beach", "Chup Chup I Got Away", and "Batucada". LP, Vinyl record album

Dreamy 70s magic from singer Claudette Soares – recorded with arrangements that have a sweeter, sometimes more electric feel than before – and which step out with some grooving touches on the best numbers! The style's almost a bit like some of the best European female work of the time – particularly the kind of numbers you'd find standing out at the start of French or Italian soundtracks. The standout tunes expand the arrangements with some slight Blue Brazil undercurrents that pick up the pace nicely – that cool blend of older Brazilian modes and sweet 70s touches going on at the EMI label at the time. Titles include "Proposta", "Tarde", "Preciso Aprender A So Ser", "Adeus Maria Fulo", "Voce", "Suas Maos", and "Chove Outra Vez". LP, Vinyl record album